Resilient side bearings



E. H. BLATTNER RESILIENT SIDE BEARINGS Filed Jan. 3, 1957 Nov. 17, 1959his Attorney RESILENT SEE BEARINGS Emil H. Blattner, Williamsville, NX.;Elizabeth Blattner, executrir of said JEmil H. Blattner, deceased,assignor to Symington Wayne Corporation, a corporation of MarylandApplication Ilanuary 3, 1957, Serial No. 632,378

S Claims. (Cl. 308-138) rlhis invention relates to resilient sidebearings for railway vehicles and has for its primary object theprovision of an improved resilient side bearing which is selfsnubbing,rugged in construction and, while relatively inexpensive to manufacture,is effective to minimize car body roll and inhibit the tendency of theWheels to hunt.

Another object of the invention is to provide a resilient side bearingformed of three pieces, a base member open at top and bottom, a capmember in the base member and a rubber cushion housed in the base memberand yieldably urging the cap member upwardly, wherein upward movement ofthe cap member relative to the base member is limited by means integralwith the members and the base member serves to limit the maximumcompression of the side bearing by engaging means xed togand dependingfrom the car body.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved three-pieceresilient side bearing of the character described wherein the sidebearing clearance is readily gaugeable by measuring the distance betweenthe base member and the depending means iixed to the car body.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter inthe detailed description, be particular- 1y pointed out in the appendedclaims and be illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational View of a preferred embodiment of theresilient side bearing of the present invention with a portion shown ina section taken along the lines 1 1 of Figure-2;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the side bearing of Figure 1 with a portionshown in a section taken along the lines 2-2 of Figure l; and

Figurev 3 is an end elevational view with a portion shown in a sectiontaken along the lines 3 3 of Figure 2.

Referring now in detail to the accompanying drawings in which likereference characters designate like parts, the improved resilient sidebearing of the present invention, While illustrated uninstalled, isdesigned for installation on a side frame (not shown) or bolster (notshown) of a railway truck (not shown) between the truck and a railwaycar body (not shown) and to engage a rigid earing member or plate- (notshown) fixed to and depending from a bolster or other part (not shown)of the nnderframe (not shown) of the car body, a typical installationbeing illustrated in my kco-pending application Serial No. 341,757,filed March 11, 1953, now Patent No. 2,788,250, issued on April 9, 1957.The side bearing is comprised of a base member or housing 1, a capmember 2 housed in the base member and a rubber cushion 3 within thebase member 1 below and yieldably acting on the cap member 2 to urge thelatter upwardly relative to the base member. As will become apparent,each of the base and cap members is designed and particularly lendsitself to manufacture as a one piece steel casting.

The base member 1 is open at top and bottom and has a central aperture,opening or passage 4 extending vernited tates Patent Mice ticallytherethrough and bounded or conned laterallyl or horizontally by anupstanding, upright or continuous lateral wall 5 of the base member. Inthe illustrated side bearing the aperture 4 is substantially rectangularin horizontal cross-section and the continuous wall 5 isr formed by apair of side walls 6, connected at their ends by a pair of end walls 7,the several walls being upstanding or substantially vertically directedand the walls of each pair being transversely, laterally or horizontallyspaced from each other.

For mounting the base member on a side frame or bolster of thepreviously mentioned railway truck, the lateral wall 5 is provided witha plurality of feet or bottom flanges 8, integral with and outstandingor extending outwardly from the lower portion of-the lateral wall atopposite sides thereof, the feet being substantially coplanar in theirunderfaces 9 with the Walls lower extremity or bottom edge 10. Two suchfeet are provided in the illustrated embodiment, one outstanding fromeach of the end Walls 7 and each attachable to the side frame or bolsterby welding or, and more preferably, by bolting or riveting, having forthis latter purpose a vertically directed rivet or bolt hole 11.

The lateral wall 5, between or clear of the feet 8, is

interrupted at opposite sides by a plurality of downwardly openingcavities or recesses 12 extending upwardly from its lower extremity 1li,each of the cavities 12 here extending through one of the side walls 6intermediate its lateral extremities, With the wall preferablyreinforced along the inner or upper edge or boundary 13 of its cavity bya reinforcing flange 14.

Y The cap member 2, housed in the base member 1, lits or seats in thecentral aperture 4 and is confined laterally or horizontally by thelateral wall 5 of the base member. The cap member has a substantiallyat, horizontally directed top or bearing Wall 15, which normallyprojects above the upper edge or-extremity 16 of the base member and isadapted to bear against or engage the aforementioned bearing memberdepending from the car body. For long life, the cap member desirably hasas its upper face 17 either the upper surface of the top wall 15,hardened by ame hardening or carburizing, or that of a wear plate 18 ofbrake lining or like wear-resistant material, bonded or otherwiseattached to the top wall. The horizontally directed, substantially flatbottom wall 19 of the cap member 2 is spaced vertically below anddisposed substantially parallel to its top wall 15. The intermediateportion 20 of the cap member connecting Iand spacing its topand bottomWalls 15 and 19 has a substantially vertically directed or upright outeror lateral face 21 confronting and disposed substantially parallel tothe inner, substantially vertically directed or upright surface 22 ofthe confining lateral wall 5 of the base member 1 which bounds theaperture 4. The lateral or horizontal spacing or clearance between theface 21 and confronting surface 22 is such as to enable the cap memberto move vertically clear of the wall 5 and, to limited degree,horizontally relative to the base member, as well as to permit the capmember to be inserted from below into the central aperture 4.

The llateral or horizontal contour of the cap member I by the contiguouslateral edges of the top, bottom and end walls 15, 19 and 23,respectively, has arim about a side-opening pocket 25, the pockets ateither side being rubber cushion 3; is subjected under vertical load,although some shear stresses are set up in it under forces tending tomove the cap and.

base members laterally relativeto each other. Consequently, while havingapproximately the lateral contour of the aperture 4, the rubber pad 3 isof considerably less cross-section and also may have a slot 27 inv itsupper face to receive avv locating protuberance or stud 28 dependingfrom'the bottom wall 19 of the cap member for locating the'rubber padlaterally relative to the capdr'nembe'r. The base vmember 1 being openat the bottom, the rubber pad is designed to `rest directly on and besupported by either the surface (notshown) of the side frame or bolsteron which the base member is mountedor, as in the illustrated embodiment,on one or more shirns'29 inserted between that surface and the basemember to raise the height of the side bearing.

With its downward movement relative to the base member 1 resisted onlyby the rubber cushion 3 and of, such a height relative to the basemember and rubber cushion as to telescope within the base member underexcessive. shocks so that the latter are taken by the base memberthrough its upper edge 16, the cap member 2 must have suiicient verticaltravel in either direction relative to the base'member to maintaincontact under operating conditions with the bearing memberr dependingfrom the car body and at the same time must be limited in its upwardrelative movement to maintain or hold the parts of the side bearing inassembled relation` once it is mounted von a railway truck.

The first of the above requirements is met by imposing no restriction inthe connection or interlock between the base and capV members ontherelative vertical movement of the cap member Within therequired limitsof travel and using a rubber cushion' which will hold or maintain thetop wall V15 of the cap member at the proper height above the upper edge16 of the base member (usually about one-quarter of an inch) when therubber is compressed under the static load of the carbody and which,While yielding and thus serving as'a cushion, will prevent telescopingof the cap member within the base member under all but excessive serviceshocks. The secondrequirement, aswell as the connection between base andcap member needed forthe first, is met by the provision on the capmember of a plurality of stop lugs or flanges 30 integral with andoutstanding or outwardly directed laterally from opposite edges of itsbottomwall 1S and aligned or centered relative to and projecting orextending. into one of the cavities 12 interrupting the lateral Wall ofthe base member, the lugs 3b in correspondence With the location'of thecavities 12 in the illustrated embodiment, here projecting from thesides 24E- of the base cap member. Engageable with the overlyingportions of the reinforcing tianges 14 boundingthe upper endsof thecavities 12 which serve as cooperating abutments orV shoulders, the stoplugs 30-normally'are spaced or positioned therebelow by the static loadof the car body imposed on the side bearing, the vertical spacing beingsuicient to accommodate the required relative upward movement.

Ordinarily, thesidebearing of the disclosed embodiment will be mountedon a'railway truck with its long axis disposed longitudinallyof the carbody. So mounted, the spacing between the ends and-sides of theconfronting-face 21 Vand surface 22 onits cap member and base member,respectively, permit limited movement of the car body longitudinally andlaterallyrelative to thek truck against the yieldableresistance of. therubber.

n 18 of the( cap member.; A smgle rubber pad orblock in-its preferredform, the4 to straight compression` cushion 3 before the cap memberengages the lateral wall 5 of the base member. Thereafter, furtherrelative movement of the car body is'frictionally resisted by theengagement between its bearing member and the upper wall 15 of the capmember.

It will be noted that the confronting face 21 and surface 22 on the baseand cap member, respectively, instead of being exactly vertical,preferably have a slight inward taper or inclination toward the bottomof the side bearing. This aids in centering the cap member relative tothe cavity 4 on initial assembly of the side bearing and, coupled Withthe resistance of the rubber pad to horizontal relative movement betweenthe cap and base` members, minimizesthe noisein service from frictionalengagement between the face 21 and surface 22. Such noise may further beminimized by imposing plates 31 of brake lining or like wear-resistantmaterial between Vthe end walls 7 and 23 of the base and cap members,the plates in the illustrated embodiment being bonded to the ends ofthevcap member and carrying the end portions of the latters verticallydirected face 21.

Thesimplicity of the resilient side bearings of the present inventionreadily lends them to assembly duringV installation. However, it willusually be preferred to assemble the side bearings at the place ofmanufacture, in which case, after the cap member 2 and rubber pad 3 ofeach side bearing have been inserted in turn into the central aperture 4through the open bottom of the base member 1, bands or clips may beemployed for holding the parts in assembled relation prior to mounting.Once a side bearing is installed, the friction surface 17 of the topplate'lS of the cap member will constantly contact the bearing member onthe body bolster as the latter moves relative to the truck bolster orside frame by the yieldable upward force of the rubber pad on the capmember. On both initial installation and subsequent inspection, theengageability of the upper edge 16 of the lateral wall S of the basemember with the bearing member on the body bolster, under blowssuliicient to cause thecap member to telescope within the base member,makes gauging of closure travel simply a matter of measuring thevertical distance between the upper edge 16 and the bearing member.

From the above detailed description, it will be apparent that `there hasbeen provided an improved resilient side bearing which is of simple andrugged construction and which, throughthe inherent energy absorptioncharacteristic. of the rubber in the rubber pad, is self-dampening, thuseliminating the necessity of snubbing means separate from the yieldablemeansto dampen out any periodic oscillations. It should be understoodthat the described and disclosed embodiment is merely exemplary of theinvention and that all modifications are intended to be included whichdo not depart from either the spirit or" the invention or the scope of.the appended claims.

Y Having described Vthe invention, I claim:

1. A resilient side bearing installable between a truck and body of arailway vehicle, comprising a base member mountable onsaid truck, saidbase member having an upstandingwallengageable at its upper end withmeans fixed to said car body and containing a vertically directedcentral aperture. extending through said base member, a cap memberreceived frombelow in said aperture and movable vertically relative toand telescopable within said base member,Y rubber. means within saidVaperture below and normally urging au upper faceof said Vcaprnemberabove the` level of said upstanding wall Vfor engagementwith saidfixed means, and means integral with and'projecting horizontally fromone of said members and extending into recess means in saidother memberfor limiting upward relative movement therebetween..

2, A resilient side bearing installable between a truck and body of arailway vehicle, comprising a base mem-V ber mountable on said truck,said base. member having anupstanding Wall engageable at its upper endwith` means fixed to said car body and containing a vertically directedcentral aperture extending through said base member, a cap membernon-rotatably received from below in said aperture and movablevertically relative to said base member, rubber means within saidaperture below and normally urging an upper face of said cap memberabove the level of said upstanding wall for engagement with said xedmeans, and stop lugs integral with and outstanding from opposite sidesof said cap member and each extending into a downwardly opening cavityin said base member for limiting relative upward movement therebetween.

3. A resilient side bearing installable between a truck and body of arailway vehicle, comprising a base member mountable on said truck, saidbase member having an upstanding wall engageable at its upper end withmeans xed to said car body and containing a vertically directed centralaperture extending through said base member, a cap member non-rotatablyreceived from below in said aperture and movable vertically relative toand telescopably within said base member, a rubber pad within saidaperture below and normally urging an upper face of said cap memberabove the level of said upstanding wall for engagement with said fixedmeans, and means integral with and projecting horizontally from one ofsaid members and extending into recess means in said other member forlimiting upward relative movement therebetween. l

4. A resilient side bearing installable between a truck and body of arailway vehicle, comprising a base member mountable on said truck, saidbase member having an upstanding wall engageable at its upper end withmeans fixed to said car body and containing a vertically directedcentral aperture extending through said base member, a cap memberreceived from below in and contained laterally by said aperture andhaving a substantially vertically directed face confronting and spacedinwardly of and substantially parallel to a substantially verticalsurface of said upstanding wall bounding said aperture, rubber meanswithin said aperture below and normally urging an upper face of said capmember above the level of said upstanding wall for engagement with saidxed means, and stop lugs integral with and outstanding from oppositesides of said cap member and each extending into a downwardly openingcavity in said base member for limiting relative upward movementtherebetween.

5. A resilient side bearing installable between a truck and body of arailway vehicle, comprising a base member mountable on said truck, saidbase member having an upstanding wall engageable at its upper end withmeans xed to said car body and containing a vertically directedhorizontally rectangular central aperture extending through said basemember, a cap member received from below in and corresponding inhorizontal section to said aperture and having a face inclined inwardlytoward the lower end thereof and spaced from and kdisposed substantiallyparallel to a correspondingly inclined confronting surface of saidupstanding wall bounding said aperture, a rubber pad within saidaperture below and normally urging an upper face of said cap memberabove the level of said upstanding wall for engagement with said xedmeans, and means integral with and projecting horizontally from one ofsaid members and extending into recess means in said other member forlimiting upward relative movement therebetween.

6. A resilient side bearing installable between a truck and body of arailway vehicle, comprising a base member having an upstandingcontinuous lateral wall bounding a vertically directed apertureextending through said base member, feet integral with and outstandingat opposite sides from lower portions of said wall for mounting saidbase member on said truck, said upstanding wall having downwardlyopening cavities at opposite sides thereof and extending therethrough, acap member received from below in said central aperture and movablevertically relative to and telescopable within said base member, saidcap member having a substantially vertically directed lateral faceconfronting and disposed inwardly of and substantially parallel to asubstantially vertically directed surface of said upstanding wallbounding said aperture, a rubber pad in said aperture below and normallyurging an upper face of said cap member above the level of saidupstanding wall, and stop lugs integral with and outstanding fromopposite sides of said cap member and each projecting into and normallyspaced below an overlying edge of one of said cavities for limitingupward movementr of said cap member relative to said base member.

7. A resilient side bearing installable between a truck and body of arailway vehicle, comprising a base member mountable on said truck, saidbase member having an upstanding wall bounding a vertically directedcentral aperture extending through said base member, a cap memberreceived from below in said aperture and movable vertically relative toand telescopable within said base member, rubber means within saidaperture below and normally urging an upper face of said cap memberabove the level of said upstanding wall, and means carried by one ofsaid members and engageable with the other member for limiting upwardrelative movement therebetween.

8. A resilient side bearing installable between a truck and body of arailway vehicle comprising a base member mountable on said truck, saidbase member having an upstanding wall engageable at its upper end withmeans xed to said car body, a central aperture substantially rectangularin cross-section extending through said base member, a cap membercorresponding in cross-section to and received from below in saidaperture and movable vertically relative to said base member, a rubberpad within said aperture below and normally urging 'an upper face ofsaid cap member above the level of said upstanding wall for engagementwith said fixed means, means carried by one of said members andengageable with the other member for limiting upward relative movementtherebetween, and wear-resistant pads carried by one of said membersand'interposed between ends of said cap member and confronting portionsof said upstanding wall for minimizing noise therebetween.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS577,237 Cliff Feb. 16, 1897 2,301,372 Cottrell NOV. l0, 1942 2,350,301Cottrell May 30, 1944 2,547,852 Bryan Apr. 3, 1951 2,641,463 MulcahyJune 9, 1953

